Light guns have long since fallen to the relentlessly rolling wheels of time, leaving behind only vivid yet fond memories of growing up in simpler times. Maybe, like my own, the memories conjured are of playing games like Duck Hunt or Operation Wolf on the N.E.S; discarded candy wrappers, soda cans and the odd crushed corn chip at your feet only complementing the warm hues of nostalgia’s soft glow.

With nostalgia often comes a yearning, a distinct urge to re-live your youth, to take yourself back in time and stroll the all too familiar sidewalks of Memory Lane. Sadly, however, this now means paying extraordinary prices to buy original hardware and a lot of time wasted trying to find a piece of gaming history and in a reasonable condition.

If you share my plight, then your woes stop right here, dear reader, for Sinden have come up with a solution. A solution that balances both retro charm and contemporary cutting-edge technology, no less. By the good grace of the creators, we were sent a set of these beautiful blasters, here are our thoughts.

Sinden Light Guns and Compatibility

You would be forgiven if your first thoughts here were surrounding the compatibility of the modern technology incorporated in the blasters with bygone games. Worry not, as the Sinden Light Guns are not only fully-compatible with your old consoles, they also work with all current emulators. As long as you have a USB port, you will be able to use your Sinden Light Guns. It’s worth noting that you may need an adapter for older consoles, which you will pick up for a few dollars from Amazon.

Sinden Light Guns will Work on a CRT Screen

If there’s one thing that takes away from that authentic retro feel, it’s playing old games on a modern TV. There’s something about the old CRTs that make them quintessential to retro gaming and it seems as though Sinden agree.

The Sinden Light Guns will work on any screen, including the older tube CRT displays. We are also told that they will even work on projection screens. While we haven’t yet tested this, we have every faith that these will hold up to such displays. We can only imagine the fun to be had with these light guns on larger scales.

Sinden Light Guns – Build Quality

We were grateful to receive two recoil light guns (red and blue) complete with holsters. With the eagerness of the proverbial beaver, we dived right in and opened the boxes, unveiling the treasures within.

The build quality of these retro-inspired light guns immediately struck us as first-rate. Owing to the heavy-set solenoids built into the guns to pack substantial recoil, the guns felt heavy in our hands but not heavy enough to get in the way of a long session. Furthermore, the pump-action slide doesn’t feel like its going to fall apart when used with heavy hands.

It’s abundantly clear that Sinden have designed these peripherals with both comfort and quality in mind. Adhering to a Time Crisis theme, the guns both look the part and gel perfectly with the whole retro aspect that evidently inspired these must-have peripherals.

Gaming With the Sinden Light Guns

Jumping straight into the action with non-other than Time Crisis itself, we were quick to learn that the Sinden Light Guns more than hold up to the action. Packing 60 FPS, the guns easily kept pace with our frantic shooting with no input lag whatsoever. Furthermore, we found that the guns could be used at any angle without having to recalibrate or even leave the game.

To add that extra touch of authenticity, the Sinden Light Guns are reloaded by simply pointing away from the screen and pulling the trigger – just like we remembered from our days in the arcade and at home alike.

Sinden Light Guns Summary: A Welcome Blast From the Past

Packed full of modern-day features, the Sinden Light Guns offer both nostalgic and contemporary qualities that perfectly balance to take you back in time without compromising on the advantages of fresh technology.

We weren’t sure what to expect from these light guns, but any early misgivings were quickly squashed and after countless hours of play now under our belts, our thoughts remain the same: the Sinden Light Guns should have a special place in any gamer’s living room.